Market Newsdesk

Revolving Funding Pool Will Support Programs Run by UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited

SAN FRANCISCO
, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Newday Impact, a San Francisco-based asset management and financial technology company that applies proprietary fundamental research to ESG investing, today launched a Sustainable Development Goals ETF (NYSE: SDGS) that will dedicate 10% of revenues to global youth education and skills development programs.

The new exchange traded fund builds on Newday’s five years of impact investing and strong relationships with grassroots, nonprofit organizations. It also continues Newday’s commitment to contribute a portion of revenues to its nonprofit partners.

The Newday Sustainable Development Equity ETF seeks long-term capital appreciation through investments in companies aligned with Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles as well as United Nations Sustainable Development Goals*, with a focus on impact issues that most directly affect environmental health. At least 80% of portfolio constituents are making material, measurable, positive impacts upon one or more sustainable development themes.

Every company in the portfolio has a connection to sustainable development based on proven ESG ratings and scoring systems and has been evaluated with a rigorous analysis of fundamentals. The fund has no holdings in companies involved in fossil fuels, armaments, gambling, tobacco, alcohol or child labor.

“The future of the world depends on sustainable development, and that in turn depends on ensuring that the adults of tomorrow will be willing and able to tackle challenges like producing enough food, ensuring clean water and combating climate change,” said Doug Heske, CEO of Newday Impact. “Our new SDG exchange traded fund is the first investment vehicle that makes it possible to support both needs.”

The Newday Sustainable Development Goals ETF was developed in partnership with Tidal ETF Services. For more information, visit newdayimpactetfs.com.

Newday Impact is a financial services company that provides authentic portfolios for responsibility-minded investors. Backed by insightful research and recognized community leaders, Newday Impact offers portfolios addressing the major ESG issues in the world. The company also supports its partners by donating 5% of revenue to nonprofits focused on this transformational change. Newday Impact works with family offices, institutions, investment advisors, financial services platforms, and individual investors, who want both a return on investment and community impact. For more information about Newday Impact’s work and investment opportunities, email [email protected] or visit https://newdayimpact.com 

*In 2015, the UN announced the Sustainable Development Goals as a call to action for countries, governments, funders, and investors to unite to accomplish 17 global goals. These goals recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. The UN has provided a framework of specific indicators to measure progress and a time frame to achieve them by 2030, both of which reinforce the urgency and crucial nature of this work.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. For a prospectus or summary prospectus with this and other information about the Fund, please call (415) 935-0550 or visit our website at www.newdayimpactetfs.com. Read the prospectus or summary prospectus carefully before investing.

Equity Market Risk. The equity securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect securities markets generally or factors affecting specific issuers, industries, or sectors in which the Fund invests.  Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in securities or other instruments of non-U.S. issuers involve certain risks not involved in domestic investments and may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than investments in securities of U.S. companies. Financial markets in foreign countries often are not as developed, efficient, or liquid as financial markets in the United States, and therefore, the prices of non-U.S. securities and instruments can be more volatile.  Currency Risk. The Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies subjects the Fund to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. Dollar.  New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized management investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors do not have a track record or history on which to base their investment decisions.

Risk of Investing Using Sustainable Development Metrics and ESG Principles. The Fund’s investment strategy limits the types and number of investment opportunities available to the Fund, and, as a result, the Fund may underperform other funds that do not primarily seek to invest in companies based on sustainable development metrics or that are screened based on ESG principals. In addition, sustainable development and ESG investing may affect the Fund’s exposure to some companies or industries, and the Fund will forgo some investment opportunities because they are screened out based on the Fund’s investment strategy. Further, some ESG factors are inherently subjective and subject to disagreement among investors. The market’s view of what constitutes a sustainable development company may change over time.

The Funds are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

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SOURCE Newday

Industry leaders collaborate to enhance transmission, analysis, and integration of healthcare data

ST. LOUIS
, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Solarity and OpenText™ (NASDAQ: OTEX), (TSX: OTEX) have announced a strategic partnership to offer a secure information exchange solution to healthcare providers and payers. The partnership brings together Solarity’s intelligent automation platform for clinical data and the OpenText suite of digital fax products to enable physicians to make more informed clinical decisions faster.

Solarity’s intelligent automation engine, which quickly and accurately identifies and analyzes all patient data regardless of source or format, will process the documents received via OpenText secure document delivery solutions and automatically transmit the critical data to hospital and health system electronic health records (EHRs).

The OpenText OnDemand Messaging (ODM) group, part of the company’s Digital Experience (DX) portfolio, is the largest digital fax service provider in healthcare. With OpenText’s modern fax solutions such as RightFax, RightFax Connect, Fax2Mail and RightFax Managed Services, users can trust their fax tools to work for them with the ability to control incoming documents and create an organized, rules-driven process for routing and managing time-sensitive materials.

Working in concert, these two solutions will allow for a smooth, secured, and uninterrupted flow of data. Traditionally, this faxed data has been manually added to EHRs, or in many cases has not been added at all because of the effort required. Now together, Solarity and OpenText are making it possible to identify and analyze all patient data, revolutionizing healthcare delivery, and mitigating costs, all while improving patient outcomes. This collaboration will help physicians make more informed clinical decisions faster with highly customized reporting capabilities.

“Given the leading role we each play in our market sectors, partnering with OpenText offers significant combined value. It will enable healthcare institutions to quickly and accurately unlock critical data that patients and providers can rely on,” said Andrew Fehlman, CEO of Solarity. “Together, we will help healthcare institutions simplify and enhance their vital clinical, administrative, and payment processes, all while empowering life-changing care.”

OpenText digital fax solutions scale with healthcare networks as they grow and support seamless updates as technology transforms. It drives timely and reliable exchange of prescriptions, referrals, and other medical records that are an integral component of patient care. Healthcare systems streamline and speed document processes by fax enabling EHRs and email applications. They also realize cost efficiencies through centralized, virtual management.

“At OpenText, we recognize the increasing pressure healthcare organizations are facing to improve their processes and boost efficiency in order to remain competitive and profitable,” said Muhi Majzoub, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer at OpenText. “Working with Solarity enables OpenText to provide a secure, flexible, and comprehensive solution that helps healthcare organizations meet the challenge of dealing with the enormous amount of data produced while caring for patients.”

The seamless API integration between OpenText and Solarity is scheduled to be released by December of 2022. Solarity will be taking part in OpenText World 2022 in Las Vegas from October 4 – 6, showcasing the innovative partnership between the companies.

About Solarity:
Eighty percent of healthcare data is underutilized—Solarity is changing that! Our intelligent automation engine quickly and accurately identifies and analyzes all patient data, no matter its source or format. Solarity replaces the labor intensive, error prone, manual work needed to make clinical information accessible and usable within your electronic health record for unique physician workflows. The result? Faster, more informed clinical decisions for physicians and better outcomes for patients. Solarity continues to revolutionize healthcare delivery, mitigate costs, and improve patient outcomes.

About OpenText 
OpenText, The Information Company™, enables organizations to gain insight through market leading information management solutions, powered by OpenText Cloud Editions. For more information about OpenText (NASDAQ: OTEX, TSX: OTEX) visit opentext.com.

Media contact:


John Gonda


[email protected]

616.309.4888

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SOURCE Solarity

MONTREAL
, Sept. 28, 2022 /CNW/ – Today, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) announced that it will join METRO Inc.’s MOI rewards program as a key loyalty partner. The collaboration will deliver some of the market’s most personalized and differentiated everyday value to RBC and METRO clients. 

“We’re thrilled to partner with a category leader and METRO Inc.’s distinguished brands, including Metro, Super C, Jean Coutu and Première Moisson,” said Neil McLaughlin, Group Head, Personal & Commercial Banking at RBC. “We’re also excited to grow our extensive network of Avion Rewards merchant partners with this new collaboration. We look forward to leveraging our shared values and client-focused culture to deepen our relationship with more Canadians, and bring exceptional choice, flexibility and value to millions of consumers in Quebec.”

RBC’s loyalty collaboration with METRO Inc. will start with the launch of an exciting new co-branded credit card for Quebec consumers in 2023.

“RBC is proud to build on its long history in Quebec, and join forces with a brand that embodies our shared commitment of delivering market-leading experiences and solutions to help Canadians unlock the greatest value in their everyday lives,” said Nadine Renaud-Tinker, Regional President – Quebec at RBC.

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 92,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.

SOURCE RBC Royal Bank

TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC     SEHK: 945

BOSTON
, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – John Hancock Investment Management, a company of Manulife Investment Management, announced today that it has launched John Hancock U.S. High Dividend ETF (NYSE: JHDV). The ETF is actively managed and subadvised by Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC, John Hancock Investment Management’s affiliated asset manager.

The investment objective of JHDV is to seek a high level of current income with long-term growth of capital as a secondary objective. Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in dividend-paying U.S. large- and mid-cap equity securities. These dividend-paying U.S. large- and mid-cap equity securities are incorporated in, or have their primary listing in, the United States.

“Manulife Investment Management has provided sophisticated access to income opportunities for more than 25 years,” said  Andrew G. Arnott, CEO, John Hancock Investment Management, and head of wealth and asset management, Manulife Investment Management, United States and Europe. “We’re pleased to bring the expertise of the Manulife Investment Management systematic equity portfolio management team and a new high dividend ETF to U.S. investors.”

The managers of JHDV are Geoffrey Kelley, CFA, senior portfolio manager, global head of systematic equity, multi-asset solutions team; Boncana Maiga, CFA, CIM, managing director and portfolio manager; and Ashikhusein Shahpurwala, CFA, PRM, managing director and senior portfolio manager.

“As the economy signals contraction and, in our view, the outlook for global growth over the next quarters continues to dim, investors may be considering investment strategies like JHDV to find diversification and income,” added Steve Deroian, co-head of retail product, John Hancock Investment Management.

With this announcement, John Hancock Investment Management’s ETFs include the multifactor equity suite subadvised by Dimensional Fund Advisors and the income-focused ETFs subadvised by Manulife Investment Management.

Investing involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. There is no guarantee that a fund’s investment strategy will be successful. The fund may cease or reduce the level of its distribution if income or dividends paid from its investments declines. 

The value of a company’s equity securities is subject to change in the company’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions. Quantitative models may not accurately predict future market movements or characteristics, which may negatively impact performance. The stock prices of midsize companies can change more frequently and dramatically than those of large companies. Large company stocks could fall out of favor. Preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer’s board. Preferred stock may be subject to redemption provisions.
Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than nonconvertible fixed-income securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. The market values of convertible securities tend to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, to increase as interest rates decline. Warrant prices may be more volatile than the price of the underlying securities and may offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well as capital loss. Warrant holders do not have dividends, voting rights, or rights to the assets of an issuer, and warrants cease to have value if not exercised prior to the expiration date.
REITs may decline in value, just like direct ownership of real estate. The use of hedging and derivatives could produce disproportionate gains or losses and may increase costs. It’s possible that an active trading market for fund shares will not develop, which may hurt your ability to buy or sell fund shares, particularly in times of market stress. Trading securities actively can increase transaction costs, therefore lowering performance and taxable distributions. Liquidity—the extent to which a security may be sold or a derivative position closed without negatively affecting its market value, if at all—may be impaired by reduced trading volume, heightened volatility, rising interest rates, and other market conditions. A portfolio concentrated in one sector that holds a limited number of securities may fluctuate more than a more broadly diversified fund. Fund distributions generally depend on income from underlying investments and may vary or cease altogether in the future. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV in the secondary market. These variations may be greater when markets are volatile or subject to unusual conditions. Please see the fund’s prospectus for additional risks.

Request a prospectus or summary prospectus from your financial professional, by visiting jhinvestments.com/etf, or by calling us at 800-225-5291. The prospectus includes investment objectives, risks, fees, expenses, and other information that you should consider carefully before investing.

This press release is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

John Hancock ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC in the United States, and are subadvised by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP or our affiliate Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC, or Dimensional Fund Advisors LP.

Shares of the ETF are not redeemable with the ETF other than in creation unit aggregations. Instead, investors must buy or sell the ETF shares in the secondary market at market price (not NAV) through a broker-dealer. In doing so, the investor may incur brokerage commissions and may pay more than net asset value when buying and may receive less than net asset value when selling.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the ETF’s control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

A company of Manulife Investment Management, we serve investors through a unique multimanager approach, complementing our extensive in-house capabilities with an unrivaled network of specialized asset managers, backed by some of the most rigorous investment oversight in the industry. The result is a diverse lineup of time-tested investments from a premier asset manager with a heritage of financial stewardship.

Manulife Investment Management is the global brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 19 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We’re committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

Manulife, Manulife Investment Management, Stylized M Design, and Manulife Investment Management & Stylized M Design are trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it, and by its affiliates under license.

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SOURCE John Hancock Investment Management

29 Students from Around the Globe Will Report “News for Kids, By Kids”

NEW YORK
, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — As kids continue to navigate and make sense of complex global events as well as the goings-on in their community, staying informed and understanding the news is critical. To provide a platform for young people, Scholastic is announcing the 29 student journalists from around the world who will join the award-winning Scholastic Kids Press program for the 2022-2023 academic year. Thirteen new and 16 returning students ages 10-14 will interview newsmakers and cover events that matter most to their peers, writing “news for kids, by kids.”

Meet the 2022 – 2023 team of Scholastic Kid Reporters: http://www.scholastic.com/kidspress

“Scholastic Kids Press has provided me with so many life-changing opportunities and experiences,” said 13-year-old Scholastic Kid Reporter Zhoriél Tapo. “I have enjoyed researching topics, meeting people, conducting interviews, and writing articles. I can’t wait to see what I’m able to learn and report on this year.”

These student journalists represent 15 U.S. states and 8 countries, including China, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, and Vietnam. Kid Reporters’ articles will cover events in local communities and on the world stage on a range of topics, including government, entertainment, the environment, sports, and more. Bylines will appear on the Scholastic Kids Press website and in select issues of Scholastic Magazines+, which reach more than 25 million students in U.S. classrooms.

Now in its 23rd year, Scholastic Kids Press provides a unique opportunity for students to learn how news is reported from industry veterans. Each year, Kid Reporters work closely with their editor to understand the nuts and bolts of journalism and get hands-on experience, with many able to interview top reporters in the media. Students conduct their own research and interviews, and develop their writing skills.

“The enthusiasm and passion our Kid Reporters have for covering the news is inspiring,” said Suzanne McCabe, editor of Scholastic Kids Press. “The stories they share with our wider Scholastic audience are thoughtful, age-appropriate resources that help students, parents, and educators make sense of events that shape our world and affect our lives.”

During the 2021-2022 program year, Scholastic Kid Reporters covered several notable developments and events, including how the pandemic affected kids’ daily lives and education, the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing and Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, the war in Ukraine, efforts to combat climate change, and momentous elections in the Philippines and South Korea. In the program’s history, Kid Reporters have interviewed many influential figures, including former First Lady and President of the United States, Michelle and Barack Obama; former Vice President Mike Pence; Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda; conservationist Jane Goodall; The Daily Show host Trevor Noah; civil rights activist Ruby Bridges; prima ballerina, author, and actress Misty Copeland; and Captain Underpants and Dog Man creator Dav Pilkey.

In addition to the official Kids Press program, in an effort to encourage even more children to learn the basics of journalism and media literacy, Scholastic has also created a free online resource, Reporting the News. This new resource includes five easy-to-use activities that outline the process of researching, writing, and editing news articles for students in grades 4-6. To learn more about Reporting the News, visit: www.scholastic.com/reportingthenews.

To learn more about Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, visit the Company’s media room: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com.

 

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SOURCE Scholastic

• High-potential business and industrial sites in Hamilton, Hendricks and Putnam counties selected for development
• Site Readiness Program has triggered 16 project wins in Indiana, resulting in more than 5,500 new jobs, $5.3 billion in capital investment since 2013

PLAINFIELD, Ind.
, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Duke Energy Indiana has selected three properties in Hamilton, Hendricks and Putnam counties for inclusion in its 2022 Site Readiness Program, which prepares high-potential business and industrial sites for economic development investments and markets them nationwide to companies looking to expand or relocate their operations.

“We’re committed to ensuring our communities have the resources and support they need to thrive – now and well into the future,” said Stan Pinegar, president of Duke Energy Indiana. “Utilities play a critical role as industries weigh whether to relocate to an area or expand their presence. The Duke Energy Site Readiness Program has been a valuable offering and we are proud of the program’s many successes. Through this initiative and many others, we work hand in hand with local and regional partners to bring new jobs and capital investment to the communities we serve.” 

Through its Site Readiness Program, Duke Energy identifies high-potential sites and partners with county officials and local economic development professionals to develop a strategy for getting the sites fully ready to market to industrial prospects. In Indiana alone, Duke Energy has helped prepare 41 properties that have won 16 major projects since the program started in 2013, drawing more than 5,500 new jobs and $5.3 billion in capital investment to the state.

The company works with Banning Engineering and Site Selection Group to evaluate sites. Based on consultant recommendations, Duke Energy will collaborate with county leaders and local economic development professionals to develop a strategy for marketing the sites. After each site’s state of readiness has advanced, Duke Energy’s national business recruitment team strategically markets them nationwide to companies looking to expand or relocate their operations. Duke Energy will award up to $10,000 to each site to help prepare them to attract projects.

The 2022 Site Readiness Program locations include:

• 
  Hamilton County – Innovation Mile

The city of Noblesville recently purchased 77.65 acres of land near East 141st Street and Olio Road, expanding upon nearly 300 acres of land that has been designated Innovation Mile. Innovation Mile will be a mile-long, master planned innovation district that includes advanced manufacturing (industrial), health technologies, life science innovation, wholesale trade, and professional and financial services. This property holds unique value in its location and proximity to I-69. It also encompasses Borg Warner as an anchor, which designs, manufactures and delivers mobility solutions for the automobile market. This area will be able to serve companies looking for technology-related infrastructure like fiber and conduit.

“This is the second Site Readiness Program grant the city of Noblesville has received, and we greatly appreciate Duke Energy’s continued support and partnership in economic development,” said Andrew Murray, economic development director for the city of Noblesville. “The Innovation Mile development will encompass approximately 300 acres and will be able to serve businesses within our targeted industries. This is going to be a very sought-after location for those seeking new construction, and we appreciate Duke Energy’s help to further market the site and attract new companies to Noblesville.”

• 
  Hendricks County – Avon Logistics Center

Avon Logistics Center is adjacent to Avon Rail Yard, and conveniently situated near Indianapolis International Airport, FedEx and UPS hubs, and a desirable retail corridor. Being the first major large-scale industrial development in Avon, the logistics center boasts the possibility of up to 14 building sites and over 5.7 million square feet of warehouse space. As the industrial logistics industry in Avon ramps up, this project will provide additional jobs and improve the community’s tax base.

“Avon Logistics Center is situated in close proximity to several key transportation and retail corridors, making it an attractive site for private development,” said John Taylor, economic development director for the town of Avon. “We’re grateful for Duke Energy’s financial and technical support to help us hone our competitive advantage and prepare to attract companies in key focus industries to locate and grow in Avon.”

• 
  Putnam County – Harrold Farm Site

The Harrold Farm Site is situated on approximately 100 acres in central Putnam County, just north of Greencastle Enterprise Park I. The property is located near the intersection of North Calbert Way and South County Road 200 East. Served by city of Greencastle municipal water and wastewater, Duke Energy electric, and CenterPoint Energy natural gas, with multiple options for broadband, all utilities are available at the southwest corner of the site with a short extension. Rail service could be provided with a city-owned railroad from CSX Transportation in Indianapolis to St. Louis Main Line. 

“Duke Energy has always been there to provide programs that help smaller communities, such as Putnam County, gain that competitive edge to land new jobs and investment,” said Kristin Clary, executive director of the Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center. “We are grateful for the Site Readiness Program and the Duke Energy economic development team for providing us with the knowledge and tools needed to promote our sites to help bring new businesses and industries to our community. And we are grateful for Duke Energy’s willingness to be part of our team to assist us with our business attraction efforts.”

For 18 consecutive years, Duke Energy’s economic development efforts have been recognized by Site Selection magazine in the publication’s annual list of “Top Utilities in Economic Development.” Including the Site Readiness Program, Duke Energy helped attract a total of $1.2 billion in capital investment in Indiana that supported more than 3,300 jobs for the state in 2021.

Duke Energy Indiana

Duke Energy Indiana, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides about 6,300 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 870,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it Indiana’s largest electric supplier.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business and at least a 50% carbon reduction from electric generation by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The 2050 net-zero goals also include Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 emissions. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2022 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “America’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: McKenzie Barbknecht
24-Hour: 800.559.3853

 

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SOURCE Duke Energy

• One national winner and 11 regional winners named
• 
  $15,000 awarded to the national winner; $7,500 awarded to each regional winner
• All selected works to be showcased in the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery at The Art Museum, University of Toronto, from October 26 to November 19

TORONTO
, Sept. 28, 2022 /CNW/ – BMO Financial Group today announced the winners of its 20th annual BMO 1^st Art! competition, celebrating outstanding achievements in visual arts among undergraduate students from across Canada. Selected from a record-breaking pool of 345 submissions, each of the 11 regional winners will receive a cash prize of $7,500 with $15,000 awarded to the national winner.

“BMO 1st Art! is a sought-after award and I am honoured to be the first-ever national winner from Yukon. This award has encouraged me to move forward and make more art,” said Shizuka Yoshimura, National Winner of BMO 1^st Art!  “As an immigrant, the award feels like an acknowledgement of my acceptance into Canadian society. Transient Shine is a special art piece for me as it represents a connection to my hometown and childhood memories of snow falling from the gray sky of Nagaoka.”

The annual competition invites deans and instructors from 110 undergraduate art programs across Canada to nominate three students from each of their studio specialties to submit a recent work. A respected panel of jurors selected this year’s winning works from a pool of 345 submissions. Competition guidelines allow for time-based media including video, film, audio, and computer technologies, in addition to mediums of drawing, printmaking, photography, painting, sculpture, glass, ceramics, textiles, mixed media, and installation works.

After two years of hosting a virtual event BMO 1^st Art! will be moving to an in-person show, complemented by online material. The gallery exhibition will take place at the University of Toronto Art Museum, Justina M. Barnicke Gallery. The exhibition will showcase all 12 winning artworks from October 26 to November 19, 2022.

“As we mark the 20th year of BMO 1st Art!, I am inspired by the talented group of artists chosen by our esteemed selection committee,” said Cameron Fowler, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer, BMO Financial Group. “BMO is proud to support the next generation of Canadian artists through this best-in-class event, recognizing the progress they’re making to grow their portfolios and art careers.”

“This year we are delighted to welcome everyone back to the gallery to see these extraordinary works of art,” said Dawn Cain, Curator, BMO Art Collection. “Since the first exhibition in 2003, BMO 1^st Art has been a showcase of unique projects by exceptional undergraduate students across Canada. The level of talent this competition draws involves some difficult decisions for our judges.”

BMO’s Purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, includes supporting the arts and building up young artists in Canada. As a winner of BMO 1^st Arts!, these talented youth get exclusive access to the art community which drives exposure for their work and promotes well deserved recognition.

• Shizuka Yoshimura, Transient Shine, Yukon School of Visual Arts (Yukon)

• Kaela Murphy, my hair, University of Lethbridge (Alberta)
• Ali Cayetano, cope, University of British Columbia (British Columbia)
• Solange Roy, You Want a Piece of Me?, University of Manitoba, (Manitoba)
• Oakley Rain Wysote Gray, Nmis (Sister), New Brunswick College of Craft & Design (New Brunswick)
• Georgia Dawkin, PROFESSIONAL WOMAN: COMING SOON, Memorial University of Newfoundland (Newfoundland & Labrador)
• Ivan Flores, Mother Giant, NSCAD University (Nova Scotia)
• Collin Tatton, MLAGEJUO’Q, University of Toronto (Ontario)
• Chris Bailey, Fisherman’s Repose, Holland College (Prince Edward Island)
• Avery Mikolic-O’Rourke, Center-Point Cycle (45.4704492, -73.6044496), Concordia University (Quebec)
• Aurora Wolfe, Interruption I, Interruption II, University of Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan)
• Sabrina Jin, Kink, Yukon School of Visual Arts (Yukon)

• Emily Falencki, Artist and Educator
• Sequoia Miller, Chief Curator, Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art
• Michelle Jacques, Head of Exhibitions and Chief Curator, Remai Modern
• Anne-Marie St-Jean Aubre, Curator of Contemporary Art, Musée d’art de Joliette

To view images of the winning works please visit: 
1stArt.bmo.com

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider – the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $1.07 trillion as of July 31, 2022, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

• Creatd to spin off its media library and NFT-related businesses into separately traded OTCQB stock.
• Intellectual property and Web 3.0 assets have been appraised at $7-10MM and are currently undergoing an updated valuation by experts in the archival field.

NEW YORK
, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Creatd, Inc. (OTCQB: CRTD) (“Creatd” or the “Company”), the parent Company of the OG Collection, Inc. today released its investor deck in preparation for spinning off its media archive, intellectual property, and other assets including its NFT library and Web 3.0 business division into a separately traded OTCQB stock.

The OG Collection features published and unpublished content surrounding the landmark events and famed figures of the 20th century, providing a unique view into the cultural zeitgeist then and now. An Authentication and Appraisal of Artworks (performed in 2016), focused on the value of the photographs and artworks in the collection, attached a value of nearly $10MM.

The Company is undergoing an updated appraisal by experts in the field in preparation of the Spinoff. A strong community of enthusiasts, collectors, archivists, and others have nurtured the OG Collection’s intellectual and business value over the last eight years. Having successfully conducted over 100 auctions, OG Collection has amassed a powerful foundation of first-party data which works to further elevate the value of the assets.

Commented Creatd CEO and Chairman Jeremy Frommer, “The release of today’s presentation, which will also be filed as an 8-K, allows us to make progress on the monetization of one of Creatd’s most valuable assets. As part of the company’s overall reorientation, we are spinning off non-core assets and intellectual property. Our business divisions are well-positioned to be individually spun out due to their maturity and Creatd’s ability to maintain a service-level relationship with them is similarly well-positioned. We have assembled a great team to support the OG Collection and expect to extract additional value from the strong underlying business components embedded in the collection—including the development of Web 3.0 assets, NFT collaborations, and media and production endeavors. This is a company that should be worth fundamentally far more than just the physical value of its components and we will continue to progress the Company’s strategic plan to navigate today’s market conditions.”

Please find the OG investor deck here.

Creatd, Inc. (OTCQB: CRTD) is a company with a mission to provide economic opportunities to creators and brands by multiplying the impact of platforms, people, and technology. Creatd’s pillars work together to create a flywheel effect, supporting our core vision of creating a viable and safe ecosystem for all stakeholders in the creator economy.

Creatd: https://creatd.com;
Creatd IR: https://investors.creatd.com;
Vocal Platform: https://vocal.media;
Investor Relations Contact: [email protected]

Any statements that are not historical facts and that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, indicated through the use of words or phrases such as “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “estimated,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes” and “projects”) may be forward-looking and may involve estimates and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. We caution that the factors described herein could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements we make and that investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of such factors. Further, we cannot assess the impact of each such factor on our results of operations or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. This press release is qualified in its entirety by the cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

 

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SOURCE Creatd, Inc.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.
, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the world’s digital infrastructure company™, today announced the launch of a global foundation focused on the advancement of digital inclusion—from access to technology and connectivity to the skills needed to thrive in today’s digitally driven world. The Equinix Foundation, a private 501(c)(3), will provide funding to organizations working to ensure equitable and inclusive access to technology, connectivity and education. It will also assess opportunities in environmental sustainability, an area of strategic importance to the company.

Equinix is making an initial financial commitment of $50 million in funding, through contribution of Equinix shares for the Equinix Foundation that will allow it to be a self-sustaining foundation. In alignment with guidelines governing private foundations, the Equinix Foundation Board of Directors will determine the Foundation’s annual giving budget each year, which is expected to cover grantmaking, employee donation matching, and crisis response donations. The Foundation also intends to make impact investments with interest income earned contributing to Foundation assets while simultaneously supporting social programs.

Equinix employees will play a key role in shaping the Equinix Foundation, helping to identify and support community-driven nonprofits and social enterprises dedicated to closing the digital divide locally and globally. Equinix is currently partnering with dozens of nonprofit organizations working to bridge the digital divide, including:

• BigHope, a nonprofit in Texas that prepares elementary school youth for opportunities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). 
• CLAP-TECH, a group that collaborates across education and industry partners in Hong Kong to prepare high school students for the future. 
• World Pulse, an online social network led by women from more than 227 countries with a mission to lift and unite women’s voices to accelerate their impact for the world. 

Through the Foundation, the company can now be more strategic in its philanthropic investments, driven by its employees’ passions and scaling the positive impact it is making in communities around the world. 

Highlights/Key Facts

• Equinix invests in the communities in which it operates–enabling widespread, equitable and inclusive access to the digital world, generating both positive social and economic impact through its programs.
• The company has evolved its Social Sustainability Strategy to focus on the following main areas of impact: Engaging Employees; Digital Inclusion; Pathways to Opportunity; and Equity & Social justice. The Equinix Foundation will complement this strategy by making grants and impact investments in all four areas.
• Through Equinix Community Impact, the company has been supporting organizations bridging the digital divide since 2015—providing funding and volunteer support to dozens of incredible initiatives. For example: 
• As part of its alliance with CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, since 2020 Equinix has participated in its Racial Equity Fellowship to advance policy change.  
• Last year Equinix partnered with the Northern Virginia Community College and the NOVA Foundation to establish the Equinix Digital Infrastructure Scholarship that supports students pursuing data center careers. 
• The Foundation is an important part of the company’s Future First sustainability strategy, helping to pave the way to a more accessible, equitable and sustainable future for communities around the world.
• Last year, Equinix became the first in the data center industry to commit to globally reaching climate-neutral by 2030, backed by science-based targets and an aggressive sustainability innovation agenda. Aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement, this is an important step to ensure that Equinix continues to advance investments and innovations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• The Equinix Foundation will help accelerate the company’s commitment to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), specifically Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. 
• Equinix is a long-standing member of Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP), a CEO-led coalition that believes that a company’s social strategy—how it engages with key stakeholders including employees, communities, investors and customers—determines company success.
• The Equinix Foundation will rely on its employees and network of partners to help identify the organizations that it may want to support. For more information, please visit the Foundation website: equinix.com/about/equinix-foundation

Quotes

• 
  Charles Meyers, President and Chief Executive Officer, Equinix

“At Equinix, our purpose is to be the platform where the world comes together, enabling the innovations that enrich our work, life and planet. The Equinix Foundation is an important vehicle to deliver on our ‘In Service To’ commitment—to one another, our customers, our investors and the communities in which we operate. We are excited that through the Foundation, we’ll also advance our future-first commitment to build a better, more inclusive, more sustainable world, while harnessing and amplifying the passion of our people to help close the digital divide in our communities and beyond.”

• 
  Jensine Larsen, CEO and founder, World Pulse

“World Pulse provides three core services: a safe, supportive community for women through blogging and collaboration, greater digital skills through digital empowerment training, and we raise the volume on women’s voices by disseminating their content more broadly worldwide. With Equinix’s support over the past seven years, we have developed classes that provide
women worldwide with technology stipends and training. This has had a huge ripple effect for the global community since one digitally-trained woman can impact thousands of lives. In addition, Equinix employee volunteers play active roles as ‘listeners,’ supporting the women in the World Pulse network. This gives the Equinix employees a real opportunity to learn first-hand from women all over the world and provide support to the community. Just by posting a single comment from one woman can fundamentally change her life and set her on a course of believing in herself.”

• 
  Andrew Ho, Director, The CLAP-TECH Pathway

“A tripartite partnership between secondary schools, industry partners and the Hong Kong Baptist University, The CLAP-TECH Pathway (“CLAP-TECH”)
—
an initiative funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust
—
equips students with valuable skills, competencies and work ethics via non-traditional education pathways, allowing them to take on ‘new collar’ roles that are increasingly popular across industries. We rely on partners like Equinix to offer meaningful workplace learning opportunities, support development of industry-recognized qualifications, and advise on skills mapping, enabling educators to embed industry-recognized skills into students’ learning journey.”

• 
  Oren O’Neal, engineer, retired NFL player, and founder of BigHope

“We’re working towards creating a more inclusive opportunity set for young people in communities that are traditionally underserved. The robotics and engineering projects that we’re doing in the classroom with students helps to enrich all the other curriculum that they need to be successful people in life. If we can educate and excite our youth at an early age and encourage them to pursue careers in technology, then they can really start to rebuild and revitalize the communities where they live.” 

About Equinix

Equinix (Nasdaq: EQIX) is the world’s digital infrastructure company. Digital leaders harness Equinix’s trusted platform to bring together and interconnect foundational infrastructure at software speed. Equinix enables organizations to access all the right places, partners and possibilities to scale with agility, speed the launch of digital services, deliver world-class experiences and multiply their value, while supporting their sustainability goals.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, risks to our business and operating results related to the COVID-19 pandemic; the current inflationary environment; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; increased costs to procure power and the general volatility in the global energy market; the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX^® and xScale^® data centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix products and solutions; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of companies we have acquired or will acquire into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenues from customers in recently built out or acquired data centers; failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; risks related to our taxation as a REIT and other risks described from time to time in Equinix filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see recent and upcoming Equinix quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.

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SOURCE Equinix, Inc.